Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Tatties & Neeps

Lo Gung likes Tatties & Neeps.(He also told me not to post this picture. I didn't listen, because the picture made us both giggle. Sorry, sweetie. *grin*)

I have a fascination with all things ME related. That interest extends to dishes that come from countries that might have possibly housed my forebears.

This dish falls into that category.

Called Tatties & Neeps, short for Potatoes and Turnips, it's a simple mash up of the two root vegetables, and surprisingly tasty! There must be an assortment of turnips in this world, because many of the recipes I've seen warn of "bitter turnips" and "softening the blow with potatoes." The turnips that we can buy out here (waxed turnips) are sweet and delicious. (Our turnips are called Waxed Turnips because they are about 8 or 9 inches in diameter, and the outside is completely covered in wax, presumably to keep them fresh longer.)

Tatties & NeepsServes 6-8

Ingredients:1 large waxed turnip (approx. 2 pounds), peeled and cut into 3" chunksMashing potatoes (approx. 2 pounds), peeled and cut into 3" chunksSaltPepperButterMilk (I used skim with no ill effects, but you can pick your own poison here.)

Place your cut-up turnips in a large soup pot and fill with water until the turnips are covered by an inch or two. Add three teaspoons salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat, keeping up a more sedate "boil", and cook until you can just get a bit of fork into your turnips, approx. 10-15 minutes. Add your potatoes and continue to cook until the potatoes and turnips are both easily pierced with a fork. Cut the heat.

Using the lid of the pot, drain off the water and put your pot back onto your hot (but off) stove. Stir your tubers up a bit, to get rid of any extra puddles of cooking water. Grab a potato masher and go to town. As you mash, add a pat or two of butter, salt and pepper to taste, and a few splashes of milk to get everything all creamy-like.

Serve as a side dish to almost any meat. (The dish you see above was served alongside a pot roast and a green salad.)